‘I won’t sit and watch government officials attacked’ — Wike speaks again on clash with soldier
The minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has spoken about his confrontation with A.M. Yerima, a naval officer, concerning a disputed plot allegedly belonging to Awwal Zubairu Gambo, a former chief of naval staff.
During a briefing before the FCT executive council meeting on Thursday, Wike criticised Gambo for deploying serving naval personnel to guard the land, calling it an “abuse of power”.
He said it was unacceptable for a retired military officer to use active-duty officers to “obstruct lawful activities” of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
Addressing reactions to his decision to personally inspect the site, Wike explained that he could not stay idle while government officials were “being attacked”.
A video that surfaced online on Tuesday showed Wike in a heated confrontation with Yerima at a location in the Gaduwa district of Abuja.
The land, identified as plot 1946, is said to belong to Gambo, who reportedly continued construction on the site despite an FCDA stop-work order.
Wike accused the former naval chief of illegal development and claimed FCDA staff sent to enforce regulations were assaulted by security personnel stationed there.
He condemned what he described as the “use of military intimidation” in civilian matters, noting that many Nigerians typically settle such issues through dialogue.
Wike cited examples of other prominent Nigerians — including former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and General T.Y. Danjuma — who simply contacted him when facing land-related concerns, rather than resorting to force. “They never sent soldiers to attack anybody. They just call,” he said.
Wike also faulted Yerima for allegedly calling police officers at the scene “bloody police”.
He expressed disbelief, stating that a security officer should not speak that way, especially while assaulting officials responsible for maintaining order.
‘I HAVE RESPECT FOR THE MILITARY’
Wike stressed that he held no grudge against the Nigerian military as an institution, saying his actions targeted an individual and not the armed forces. He reiterated that claims suggesting otherwise were misguided.
Emphasising that the matter was entirely private, he noted that the land was not allocated to Gambo but was originally assigned to Santos Estate Limited for park and recreational purposes.